Electronic scales utilizing a force voltage transducer to generate a weight signal that is provided to a display device to produce a digital readout are well known in the art, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,690 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,217.
A more recent U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,447 discloses a scale utilizing a microcomputer to enable a dieter to enter a diet program having an objective weight and a given time interval in which to achieve that objective weight.
However, to provide additional incentive to a dieter, it has been found that voice comments in response to the progress of the dieter are extremely valuable. To provide effective voice responses it becomes necessary for the scale to identify the person in the diet program and to maintain his or her weight record to a degree sufficient to measure progress in the program. These things the prior art does not do.
Other desirable features lacking in the prior art include providing one or two users with their weight history. It is desirable to prevent loss of such history when the scale's batteries are replaced or when the device is unplugged or A-C power is cut off.
One general object of the present invention is to provide an improved electronic scale that will perform the aforesaid functions in combination with giving a visual digital readout of the user's present weight.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electronic scale that is compact, reliable, accurate and particularly well adapted for economy of manufacture and maintenance.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic scale that will automatically turn on when the user steps onto the platen of the scale.
Another object of the invention is to provide for baby weighing and weight programs for ladies, simplifying the weighing by providing for tare elimination.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an electronic scale that presents a visual display of a user's present weight, a predetermined goal weight (of a diet program), the present date, and a predicted number of days of diet program remaining before the goal weight is expected to be achieved.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electronic scale that will automatically identify a repetitive user, store the user's previous weight data, and provide voice responses to the user's present weight compared with such previous data.
A further object of the invention is to provide a record for one or two persons of their weights over the previous six months so that general trend(s) in weight fluctuation can be noted.
Another object of the invention is to provide for adjusting each history weight so that if a peak or low weight does not happen to correspond to the anniversary, the weight stored can be externally corrected, by use of the "+" and "-" keys.
Another object of the invention to provide for retention of memory during power cut-off in battery changing.
A still further object of the invention is to make it possible, if the power is lost, for the history file to be re-entered by advancing through the history file while still standing on the scale, so it can show "current weight". Each month's weight can be increased or decreased until it shows the correct history values.